Part of the Conversation? Exploring Male Patients’ Experiences with Mentalization-Based Treatment

Abstract Male patients with personality disorder and substance use disorder is an understudied population in psychotherapy research. There is a lack of research on male patients with personality disorder and their experiences of mentalization based treatment. This knowledge gap hinders the development of tailored treatments for male patients. Ten patients were interviewed using a qualitative approach to explore their experiences of the treatment. Thematic analysis was performed within a hermeneutical phenomenological framework, with a focus on researcher reflexivity. Four themes on experiences of the treatment were identified. Patients highlighted the value of the group format and the importance of bonding with other group members. Therapists who are transparent and open about own emotional reactions were viewed as important. Furthermore, patients highlighted the significance of therapists who believed in them and trusted them to make their own changes. And lastly, they underlined the beneficial experience of being exposed to and changed by multiple perspectives in group therapy. Male patients experience the group format as helpful and therapists who model mentalizing and have confidence in them is appreciated. However, the bonding processes in group treatment for male patients seems to be complex and warrant further study.